November 07, 2009 22:04 PM

Khazanah To Bring Kiddie Characters To Nusajaya Theme Park

JOHOR BAHARU, Nov 7 (Bernama) -- Popular kiddie characters Barney, Thomas and Friends, Bob the Builder and Hello Kitty will be among attractions at the RM350 million, four-storey indoor theme park slated to be opened to the public at the end of 2012.

The park, to be housed at Puteri Harbour in Nusajaya, will boast a floor area of 60,000 square feet and another 100,000 square feet of retail space.

It will also see our very own cartoonist Lat's first-in-Malaysia themed family restaurant.

Themed Attractions and Resorts (TAR) Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional, today signed an agreement with HIT Entertainment Ltd, Sanrio Entertainment Ltd and Kampung Boy Sdn Bhd.

TAR also signed an agreement with the Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts for the the development of a 300-room Traders Hotel, as well as UEM Land, for the construction of the indoor theme park.

Also present at the ceremony was Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman.

According to TAR chief executive officer Tunku Datuk Ahmad Burhanuddin, the indoor theme park would be an additional attraction in Nusajaya and Iskandar Malaysia.

Construction of the indoor theme park, he said, was expected to commence in the middle of next year.

"The indoor theme park reinforces Iskandar Malaysia as a destination for families with children under 12 years. It further complements the other attraction, following the signing with Legoland Malaysia last year," Tunku Ahmad Burhanuddin told reporters here.

Meanwhile, Khazanah Nasional managing director Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar said, the indoor theme park would create the desired traffic to Nusajaya and Iskandar Malaysia.

-- BERNAMA

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